Statutory Rules of Northern Ireland

1997 No. 105

PENSIONS

The Guaranteed Minimum Pensions Increase Order (Northern Ireland) 1997

Made

26th February 1997

Coming into operation

6th April 1997

Whereas the Secretary of State for Social Security has made an Order(1) under section 109(4) of the Pension Schemes Act 1993(2):

Now, therefore, the Department of Health and Social Services for Northern Ireland, in exercise of the powers conferred on it by section 105 of the Pension Schemes (Northern Ireland) Act 1993(3) and of all other powers enabling it in that behalf, hereby makes the following Order:

Citation, commencement and interpretation

1.—(1) This Order may be cited as the Guaranteed Minimum Pensions Increase Order (Northern Ireland) 1997 and shall come into operation on 6th April 1997.

(2) In this Order—

“relevant period” has the same meaning as in section 109(3A) of the Pension Schemes Act 1993(4).

(3) The Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954(5) shall apply to this Order as it applies to a Measure of the Assembly.

Increase of guaranteed minimum pensions

2. For the purposes of section 105(1) of the Pension Schemes (Northern Ireland) Act 1993(6) the percentage by which there is to be an increase in the rate of that part of any guaranteed minimum pension which is attributable to earnings factors for the tax years in the relevant period shall be 2.1 per cent.

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Health and Social Services for Northern Ireland on

L.S.

John O'Neill

Assistant Secretary

26th February 1997.

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order.)

This Order, which corresponds to an Order (S.I. 1997/457) made by the Secretary of State for Social Security under section 109(4) of the Pension Schemes Act 1993, specifies 2.1 per cent. as the percentage by which that part of any guaranteed minimum pension attributable to earnings factors for the tax year 1988-89 and subsequent tax years and payable by occupational pension schemes is to be increased.

(1)

S.I. 1997/457

(2)

1993 c. 48

(3)

1993 c. 49; section 105(1) was amended by Article 55 of the Pensions (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 (S.I. 1995/3213 (N.I. 22))

(4)

Section 109(3A) was inserted by section 55 of the Pensions Act 1955 (c. 26). Article 2(7) of the Pensions Act 1995 (Commencement No. 3) Order 1996 (S.I. 1996/778 (C. 13)) appointed 6th April 1997 as the principal appointed day for the purposes of Part III of the Pensions Act 1995

(5)

1954 c. 33 (N.I.)

(6)

Section 105(1) was amended by Article 55 of the Pensions (Northern Ireland) Order 1995